10 worst toys for 2012

With the holidays coming up plenty of new toys are on the market, and some might put children in harm’s way.

The organization W.A.T.C.H., or World Against Toys Causing Harm, has released its annual list of the 10 worst toys for 2012. The toys named to the list can be found at major retailers such as Toys “R” Us, Walmart, and Amazon.

Click through to take a look at which toys have been named the most dangerous for children this year.

This launcher can shoot water balloons at “high speeds of up to 75 mph,” and was marketed online “by at least one online retailer for babies as young as 8 months old.” As balloons pose a significant choking risk for children, this product should not be used by “oral-age children.”
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Children as young as three are encouraged to climb into this “colorful inflatable ball,” in order to “’Bounce, Spin, Roll, Tumble!’” The box also portrays the children playing unsupervised, and “the toy indicates that adult supervision is only ‘recommended.’”
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Although the packaging of this product recommends that children under 6 should not use this product, “it was marketed online for babies as young as 7 months old.” The gun, which can fire six darts “in seconds,” can shoot with enough force to potentially cause eye injuries.Next

Courtesy of WATCH

Magnetic fishing game

Price: $1.77 (based on $42.44 for a case of 24)Manufacturer: Kole ImportsAge recommendation: 16 months and up (online); Not for children under 3 (packaging)Hazard: Potential for choking injuries

This toy’s “brightly colored plastic lure,” which is marketed online to be appropriate for 16-month-olds, can pose a “serious potential choking hazard for oral-age children.”
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Strings on toys for the crib have an industry standard of having to be less than 12 inches in length, but “manufacturers are still permitted to market ‘pull toys’” such as this one, which has a cord “measuring approximately 24 inches.” As the toy is intended for babies, it is a “prime candidate for crib and playpen injuries.”
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Warnings on this toy’s packaging insert say “Kneeboard riding can be a hazardous activity” and claim there is potential to “get into dangerous situations and/or lose control and/or fall off” while riding it.
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